Category Archives: Coburn Mystery

Can Anyone Explain the Explosions? Story by John Vonderlin Email John (benloudman@sbcglobal.net) While perusing the Newspaper Archives, I came across a couple of articles about two long ago events, that while seemingly wildly unrelated, have a strong connection to me in … Continue reading →

The Coburn Mystery By June Morrall (Photo: The famous Swanton House.) After church on Sunday afternoons, the Fourth of July–or, for no special reason–the Pescadero folk announced a picnic at Pebble Beach. Picking the pebbles became a pretense, sharing the … Continue reading →

By June Morrall (Photo: The Swanton House.) The shoreline of Pebble Beach was rocky, and the pebbles, or stones, that been rolled and tumbled by the tides until they were polished smooth were ankle deep. The bright pebbles ranged in … Continue reading →

By June Morrall “The only road to Pebble Beach was ‘a kind of a zig zag…never laid out by anybody…[and it looked like]…a cow trail because it was crooked, but wider because wagons crossed over it…”–Alexander Moore, Pescadero pioneer who … Continue reading →

By June Morrall If Pescadero was the recipe for a popular resort, here’s a list of its good ingredients: Healthfulness: The ocean breezes were well advertised. Location: Close enough to ride the stage, far enough away to feel secluded. Sightseeing: … Continue reading →

Story by June Morrall In the mid-to-late 19th century, San Francisco’s great need for wood for building new structures– as well as replacing old ones that fed the frequent fires– led to the construction of profitable sawmills south of Half … Continue reading →

[While this original draft may be messy, it does contain more details and research than the edited version.] By June Morrall The Steeles moved from Ohio to California in 1855, first farming in Marin and Sonoma County. Seven years later … Continue reading →

[This is from the original manuscript–and contains many more details than the final, edited version.] Pressure to illuminate the hidden reefs off the coast of Pescadero intensified as more shipwrecks occurred. Lighthouse advocates argued that the heavy fog lured sailors … Continue reading →